THE FIRST WEREWOLF BY NIGHT -- 1953!

MARVEL TALES

Vol. 1 No. 116

July 1953

Marvel Comics Inc. (Atlas)

Editor: Stan Lee

Cover: Joe Maneely

Pages: 36

Cover price: 10 cents

CONTENTS

"Won't You Step Into My Parlor?" (the same story as in Journey Into Mystery #80, Marvel/Atlas, May 1962 with art by Jack Kirby)

Script: ?

Art: Joe Sinnott

"Werewolf By Night!"

Script: ?

Art: William Weltman?

Inks: Jack Abel

"Not Wanted!"

Script: Carl Wessler

Art: Sam Kweskin

"The Starmen" (text story reprinted from Space Squadron #2, August 1951 -- original title: "Capt. Jet Dixon and the Space Squadron Battle the Fiends with Four Arms"

"The Final Payment!"

Script: ?

Art: Al Eadeh

"When Billy Says Bang!"

Script: ?

Art: Tony DiPreta

While conforming to the ACMP Publishers Code (see below), Marvel's Atlas comics nevertheless were far afield from what the Comics Code Authority would permit just a little over a year later. Filled to the brim with horror and weirdness, titles such as JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY and MENACE, while not necessarily bloody, still dished up fear and loathing in equal measure.

The vanilla-titled MARVEL TALES was yet another comic that provided young and impressionable readers with mega-doses of terrifying tales. This issue, from July 1953 is a typical example of the types of stories one could find between the covers Marvel/Atlas' horror comics. Included is the story, "Werewolf By Night" written by an unknown scriptwriter (maybe Stan Lee or Larry Lieber?), illustrated by William Weltman (possibly) and inks by the future DC mystery book workhorse, Jack Abel. While not the Jack Russell werewolf that we would see in the 1970's, one wonders if the title was not inspired by this story.

The Association of Comic Magazine Publishers (ACMP) was the 1940's precursor to the Comic Magazine Association of America (CMAA) which was the administrator of the Comics Code Authority formed in 1954. The ACMP was formed for similar reasons as the Code, which was to respond to the public outcry of comic books negatively influencing American youth and leading them into juvenile delinquency Modeled after the Hollywood Production Code (aka Hays Code), it was ineffective in its intent, largely because of lack of participation by the comics publishers. That would all change with the Comics Cody Authority . . .

The ACMP Publishers Code (1948):

• Sexy, wanton comics should not be published. No drawing should show a female indecently or unduly exposed, and in no event more nude than in a bathing suit commonly worn in the United States of America.
• Crime should not be presented in such a way as to throw sympathy against the law and justice or to inspire others with the desire for imitation. No comics shall show the details and methods of a crime committed by a youth. Policemen, judges, Government officials, and respected institutions should not be portrayed as stupid, ineffective, or represented in such a way to weaken respect for established authority.
• No scenes of sadistic torture should be shown.
• Vulgar and obscene language should never be used. Slang should be kept to a minimum and used only when essential to the story.
• Divorce should not be treated humorously or represented as glamorous or alluring.
• Ridicule or attack on any religious or racial group is never permissible.

NOTE: Commercial ads have been removed from this scan.